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4  UTHOR : 


SNYDER,  CHARLc 


■•^-.-.- 


TITLE: 


NEW  COSMOLOGY 


PLA  CE : 


NEW  YORK 


DATE: 


1895 


COLUMBIA  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARIES 
PRESERVATION  DEPARTMENT 


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100  10  Snyder,  Charles  Porter.  ^   ^  ^ 

245  14  The  Ne.  Cosmology^h[microf  orm]  .{:cBy  Charles  Porter  Snyder. 
260  0   New  York,^bPress  of  J.  3.  Little  &  Co.{:cl895 

300     16  p. 

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OHABLES  P.  SNYDER, 

L-OCK  Box  4, 

NEWARK,    N.  J. 


\rd 


PEEFACE. 


-o 


Copyright,  1895,  by 
CHARLES  PORTER  SNYDER 


< 


Press  of  J.  J.  Little  &  Co. 
Astor  Place,  New  York 


In  July,  1894,  the  writer  culminated  certain  Yaluable  (and 
possibly  original)  discoveries;  and  during  the  said  month  he 
sent  several  brief  articles  to  different  scientific  periodicals  for 
publication. 

Not  being  successful  in  having  the  theory  thus  published,  he 
concluded  to  extend  his  investigations  so  long  as  he  might  be  finan- 
cially enabled,  and  then  embody  the  principal  results  in  a  brief 
treatise. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  parties  to  whom  the  WTiter 
has  mailed  expositions  of  his  cosmological  theory  at  the  dates 
specified  : 

In  July,  1894  :  Scientific  American,  Popular  Science  Monthly, 
Popular  Science  Neivs,  Afnerican  Jonrtial  of  Science;  London, 
Edinburgh  and  Dublin  Philosophical  Magazine;  Smithsonian 
Institute  *'for  their  Contributions  to  Knowledge;"  Knoivledge, 
of  London  ;  T.  A.  Edison  ;  J.  H.  Van  Amringe,  of  Columbia 
College. 

In  September,  1894 :  American  Association  for  Advancement  of 

Science. 

In  February  or  March,  1895  :  Ira  Remsen,  of  Hopkins  Uni- 
versity. 

In  ^larch,  1895  :  J.  D.  Dana,  J.  11.  Van  Amringe. 

The  last  three  expositions  sent  were  accompanied  with  hekto- 
graph  charts  and  tables :  illustrating  symmetrical  atomic  arrange- 
ments, and  types  of  interlocking  atomic  networks  ;  also,  theoretical 
ratios  of  atomic  size,  and  specific  gravities  of  different  atomic 
networks. 

The  writer  has  not  been  able  to  secure  the  financial  assistance 


w)  **■  i*J  ■')  ',.,'  -.3 


4  PREFACE. 

which  would  be  necessary  for  lithograpliing  and  publishing  the 
hektograph  charts  and  tables  referred  to  ;  but  he  hopes  that  this 
brief  exposition  of  his  cosniological  theory  will  be  deemed  worthy 
of  recognition  by  such  scientists  as  are  conversant  with  the  subject. 

C.  P.  Snyder. 


Note.— The  writer  has  secured  the  following  book  titles  at  the  Librarian's 
office,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Februarv  16,  1805.     "  The  New  Cosmology." 

March  12,  1895.  "Atomic  Geometry:  Based  upon  their  Sphericity.  Smooth- 
ness, Exact  Sizes,  Compact  Arrangements,  aud  Interlocking  Cohesion  Networks  ; 
acquired  in  their  ages  of  grinding." 

March.  1895.  '*  The  Universal  Transmutation  of  Substance  :  Resulting  from 
the  Perfect  Brittleness  of  its  Separate  Parts,  and  their  Breakage  by  Collision." 

April  8,  1895.  "  Atomic  Size  Ratios  :  Computed  from  those  Symmetrically 
Compact  Arrangements  in  which  the  Atoms  are  in  Stable  Contact  and  Free  from 
Subsequent  Grinding." 

June  C,  1895.  "Atomic  Networks  Identified:  By  their  Equal  Ratios  of 
Atomic  Size  and  Weight,  Real  Density  and  Specific  Gravity,  Planes  of  Least 
Contact  and  of  Cleavage." 

June  6,  1895.  "The  Separate  Interlocking  Atom  Networks:  Constructed 
from  an  Essential  Four  Row  Girder,  and  Joints  of  Four  to  Twelve  Equal 
Girders. " 


> 


2) 


< 


■) 


THE  NEW   COSMOLOGY. 


Cosmology  treats  of  the  most  general  laws  of  the  material  uni- 
verse ;  in  other  words,  of  the  most  general  laws  of  matter. 

The  laws  of  matter  may  be  deduced,  in  the  order  of  their  gener- 
ality, from  a  fundamental,  all-inclusive  definition  of  matter.  And 
as  such  a  method  of  deductive  investigation  is  based  entirely  upon 
pure  reason,  it  is  therefore  independent  of  the  knowledge  derivable 
through  the  organs  of  sense. 

The  fundamental  definition  of  matter  is  arrived  at  by  the  follow- 
ing deductive  method  : 

1.  Any  given  portion  of  space,  at  any  given  point  of  duration,  is 
either  entirely  or  partially  occupied  by  ''  substance ;"  and  if  almost 
entirely  unoccupied  by  substance,  such  portion  of  space  would  very 
(juickly  become  more  occupied,  because  ''vacuity  does  not  resist  the 
motion  of  substance.'^ 

2.  Pure  substance  contains  no  vacuity,  and  pure  vacuity  con- 
tains no  substance. 

3.  Pure  vacuity  has  no  positive  quality  ;  pure  substance  has  but 
one  quality. 

4.  Since  pure  substance  has  but  one  quality,  it  must  therefore 
be  either  perfectly  rigid,  perfectly  brittle,  or  perfectly  fluid.  If  it 
were  perfectly  fluid,  there  would  be  no  definite  forms  or  motion  of 
separate  parts  :  it  would  everywhere  be  homogeneous  both  in 
density  and  energy,  and  neither  form  nor  motion  would  have  definite 
existence.  If  it  were  either  perfectly  rigid  or  perfectly  brittle,  it 
would  then  be  finally  divisible  into  separate  particles ;  otherwise, 
motion  would  have  no  existence.  If  perfectly  rigid,  the  particles 
would  not  be  subject  to  breakage  (at  their  instants  of  collision), 
and  their  forms  and  sizes  would  therefore  be  absolutely  unalter- 
able ;  they  would  therefore  have  no  definite  relations  of  form  or 
of  size,  and  no  finite  portion  of  them  would  have  such  definite 
properties  as  are  manifested  by  the  chemical  elements  of ''stellar 
matter.''     We  therefore  conclude   that   pure  substance  is  neither 


6 


THE  NEW  COSMOLOGY. 


\ 


perfectly  fluid  nor  perfectly  rigid;  it  must  therefore  be  *^* perfectly 
brittle." 

5.  The  Fundamental  Definition  of  Matter. — Matter  is 
finally  divisible  into  perfectly  brittle  ^'  fragments/'  which  differ 
from  each  other  only  in  form  and  size. 

G.  Theorems. — A  fragment  has  no  pores  or  enclosed  vacuities, 
because  breakage  would  have  gradually  and  completely  exposed 
such  enclosed  vacuity.  In  other  words,  all  vacuity  is  exterior  to 
substance  :  for  otherwise  the  universe  would  have  both  interior  vacu- 
ity  and  exterior  vacuity  ;  and,  since  the  breakage  of  the  particles  of 
substance  would  continually  increase  the  ratio  of  exterior  to  interior 
yacuity,  the  universe  w^ould  *^soon"  have  no  interior  vacuity — 
which  is  equivalent  to  saying  that  the  universe  '^ never  '"  did  have, 
and  *^ never"  will  have,  any  interior  vacuity. 

By  the  same  method  of  reasoning,  we  prove  that  the  average 
volume  of  substance  per  unit  volume  of  '^  infinite  space"  is  a  con- 
stant and  finite  quantity.  For  if  wt  were  to  suppose  that  any  very 
enormous  portion  of  space  contained  either  more  or  less  substance 
(in  proportion)  than  that  contained  by  *'all  space,"  then,  in  time, 
such  disproportion  would  be  eliminated,  because  of  the  freedom  of 
motion  possessed  by  the  particles  of  substance.  Therefore,  every 
very  enormous  portion  of  space  wull  **  always  "  contain  neither  more 
nor  less  substance  (in  proportion)  than  any  other  enormous  portion 
of  space,  whatever  be  their  distance  apart;  and  if  **any"  very 
enormous  portion  of  space  has  a  finite  density  of  substance,  then 
^*  every"  very  enormous  portion  of  space  has  also  the  same  density 
of  substance.  [The  density  of  the  interstellar  medium,  and  the  rela- 
tive quantity  of  stellar  and  nebulous  matter  in  that  portion  of  space 
which  is  within  range  of  our  largest  telescopes,  cannot  be  appreciably 
different  in  any  conceived  equal-sized  portion  of  space  at  any  dis- 
tance whatever  from  our  locality.] 

7.  We  may  also  infer  that  there  is  no  appreciable  difference  of 
any  kind  existing  between  that  "  portion  of  the  universe  which  lies 
within  the  sphere  of  our  telescopic  observation,"  and  '^  any  other 
ecjual-sized  portion  of  the  universe  however  so  far  distant."  Also, 
we  may  prove  that  the  universe  is  absolutely  constant  (as  a  whole) 
through  all  past  and  all  future  duration  ;  that  wdiich  is  being 
created  is  likewise  being  destroyed  at  the  same  constant  rate.  The 
particles  of  substance  are  diverse  in  form,  size,  and  states  of  aggre- 
gation ;  but  the  quantity  of  substance,  apportioned  to  the  different 
kinds  of  matter,  does  not  varv — either  to  the  whole,  or  relatively  to 


r 


\h 


k 


i 


THE  NEW  COSMOLOGY.  7 

the  different  kinds— notwithstanding  that  substance  is  being  con- 
stantly transmuted  by  the  breakage  and  attrition  of  its  particles. 
The  absolute  quantity  of  substance  in  any  '*  presently  enormous 
portion  of  space"  would  only  equal  the  quantity  in  an  atom  of 
some  far  distant  period  in  past  duration.  And,  vice  versa,  an  atom 
of  the  present  will,  in  process  of  time,  be  so  greatly  subdivided  by 
breakage,  that  its  substance  now  equals  that  of  myriad  stars  of  such 
distant  period  in  the  future. 

8.  By  reason  of  the  perfect  brittlenessof  the  fragments,  no  finite 
portion  of  them  can  simultaneously  possess  *' absolute  "  equality  of 
form  or  size.  And,  since  all  special  laws  of  matter  dei)end  upon 
the  form  and  sizes  of  its  final  particles  and  their  states  of  aggrega- 
tion, it  follows  that  all  such  laws  are  only  approximately  correct. 

9.  There  is  but  one  perfect  law,  which  may  be  regarded  as  the 
law  most  universal  in  space  and  duration,  and  from  which  all  other 
laws  are  finally  dcducible.  It  may  be  called  the  ^'fundamental  law 
of  matter." 

10.  The  Fundamental  Law  of  Matter.— At  the  instant  and 
through  the  point  of  the  collision  of  two  fragments  an  instantaneous 
fracture  is  created  ;  the  fracture  being  of  least  area  and  such  form, 
as  are  requisite,  in  order  that  the  *'  resultant  force,  total  energy, 
and  total  substance  "  of  the  two  colliding  fragments  may  be  incor- 
porated, without  change,  by  the  four  fragments  into  which  they  are 
thus  broken. 

11.  Theorems. — Frasrments  are  of  all  sizes;  from  that  of  the 
atoms  (in  stellar  matter)  down  to  absolute  zero  (in  the  finest  parti- 
cles of  the  universal  ether  or  interstellar  medium). 

12.  Infinitesimal  fragments  are  infinitely  more  numerous  (than 
those  of  finite  size),  and  have  all  velocities,  from  zero  to  infinity 
(those  of  finite  size  having  finite  velocities).  For  analytical  pur- 
poses w^e  may  consider  that  all  fragments,  of  less  than  some  certain 
size,  constitute  a  '^ standard"  medium,  having  constant  proper- 
ties. 

13.  Properties  of  the  Standard  Medium. — The  medium 
very  slightly  impedes  the  motion  of  a  large  fragment,  very  slowly 
wears  away  its  projecting  angles,  and  very  powerfully  presses  from 
all  directions  upon  its  surface. 

14.  When  the  resultant  pressure  of  the  medium  (immediately 
surrounding  a  fragment)  is  toward  a  particular  direction,  the  frag- 
ment is  then  attracted  toward  that  direction. 

15.  The  medium  radiates  (w^ith  great  velocity  and  slow^  absorp- 


1 


8 


THE  NEW  COSMOLOGY, 


tion  of  energy  and  type)  the  local  disturbances  of  its  normal  condi- 
tion produced  by  an  accumulation  of  fragments. 

16.  When  the  local  disturbance  is  of  constant  type  and  intensity, 
then,  at  every  moderate  distance,  its  effect  upon  the  medium  will 
be  of  similar  type,  and  the  intensity  inversely  proportional  to  the 
square  root  of  the  distance. 

17.  [For  convenience,  let  the  small,  rapidly  moving  fragments, 
constituting  the  all-pervading  medium,  be  termed  ''particles'' 
only,  to  distinguish  them  from  the  large,  slowly  moving  fragments, 
which  are  subject  to  permanent  accumulation  by  the  general  forces 
of  attraction.] 

18.  [Particles  may  be  distinguished  analytically  by  a  geometrical 
series  of  sizes;  each  size  being  infinitesimally  smaller  than  the  one 
preceding.  The  particles  of  each  size  would  then  constitute  a 
separate  medium,  having  infinitesimal  density,  pressure,  etc.  And 
the  several  quant itive  functions  of  a  particle  (such  as  its  relative 
number  per  unit  volume  of  space,  velocity  of  progression,  rate  of 
rotation,  mean  free  path,  etc.)  would  then  form  several  different 
geometrical  series — analogous  to  and  dependent  upon  the  primary 
series  of  sizes.] 

19.  The  General  Types  of  Attraction. — When  the  result- 
ant pressure  of  the  medium,  immediately  surrounding  a  fragment, 
is  toward  a  particular  direction,  the  fragment  is  then  attracted 
toward  that  direction  (see  paragra])h  14). 

20.  The  pressure  of  the  medium  results  from  the  *^* progressive" 
motion  of  its  particles,  and  is  not  increased  appreciably  by  their 
^ *  rotary  "  motion. 

21.  A  large  fragment  slightly  decreases  the  progressive  energy 
of  the  raj)idly  moving  small  particles  striking  it,  and  likewise 
slightly  increases  their  rotary  energy  ;  it  therefore  tends  to  contin- 
ually lessen  the  pressure  of  the  immediately  surrounding  medium. 
And  as  the  medium  radiates  the  local  effect  upon  its  normal 
pressure,  there  is  produced  a  permanent  decrease  of  its  pressure  by 
an  amount  inversely  proportional  to  the  square  root  of  the  distance 
from  the  fragment  producing  the  effect  (see  paragraphs  15  and  16). 

22.  Each  fragment  will  therefore  make  a  resultant  pressure  (in 
the  medium)  directed  toward  itself,  by  a  force  inversely  propor- 
tional to  the  square  root  of  the  distance  from  itself. 

23.  [We  have  thus  identified  the  force  and  law  of  gravity, 
which  is  the  most  perfect  type  of  attraction.  And  we  know  that 
only  large  accumulations  of  fragments  exert  any  considerable  force 


\ 


THE  NEW  COSMOLOGY.  9 

of  the  attraction  of  gravity ;  and  single  fragments,  or  small  accu- 
mulations thereof,  would  therefore  not  affect  each  others  motions  to 
any  considerable  extent.] 

24.  When  two  slowly  moving  large  fragments  chance  to  come 
sufficiently  close  to  each  other,  each  will  ward  off  from  the  other 
some  of  the  '' direct"  impacts  which  it  would  otherwise  be  receiv- 
ing (from  the  small  particles  of  the  surrounding  medium)  upon 
that  side  which  is  toward  the  other ;  and  they  will  thereby  be 
drawn  and  held  together  permanently,  unless  subsequently  so 
forcibly  struck,  by  some  rapidly  moving  fragment,  as  to  be  knocked 
far  apart  and  thus  permanently  separated. 

25.  The  foregoing  type  of  attraction  increases  in  force  at  a  much 
greater  rate  than  the  inverse  square  root  of  the  distance  separating 
the  two  fragments.  The  force  of  attraction  between  the  two  frag- 
ments is  very  great  when  they  are  in  contact,  and  is  but  infinitesi- 
mal when  they  are  separated  by  a  greater  distance  than  the 
length  of  the  longest  "  free  paths  "  of  the  particles  of  the  surround- 
ing medium— because  the  two  fragments  do  not  then  serve  to  ward 
off  from  each  other  any  of  the  impacts  of  the  particles. 

26.  [We  have  thus  identified  the  force  of  cohesion,  which  causes 
the  slowly  moving  large  fragments  to  be  powerfully  attracted  by  each 
other  when  chancing  to  come  sufficiently  near  each  other.] 

27.  The  Accumulation  of  Fragments.— The  force  of  co- 
hesion causes  the  slowly  moving  large  fragments  to  be  drawn  and 
held  together  permanently;  and  their  accumulation,  thus  started  in 
vast  interstellar  regions,  is  greatly  accelerated  by  the  far-reaching 
force  of  gravity ;  and  the  vast  interstellar  nebulae  thus  produced 
are  further  condensed,  by  the  same  forces  of  attraction,  until  they 
become  star  clusters  and  thence  stars  of  the  greatest  size. 

28.  The  Separation  of  Fragments.— As  the  stars  of  a  cluster 
keep  combining  to  form  larger  stars— their  distances  apart  and  the 
velocities  of  their  collisions  continue  to  increase  (owing  to  the  in- 
creasing accumulations  of  gravity)— a  limit  of  stellar  size  is  thus 
reached,  which  causes  the  violence  of  the  collision  of  two  such 
enormous  ''final"  stars  to  be  sufficient  to  disfigure,  rapidly  break 
up,  and  widely  scatter  their  constituent  fragments.  And  owing  to 
the  very  great  initial  velocity  then  given  to  them,  they  so  widely 
disperse  as  to  pass  permanently  away  from  each  other's  attraction. 

29.  When  two  ''  final  "  stars  thus  collide,  there  is  produced  a  vast 
ring-like  nebula  of  chaotic  matter,  expanding  laterally  with  great 
initial  velocity  ;  and  the  greatest  nebulae  are  thus  produced.     From 


10 


THE  NEW  COSMOLOGY. 


the  form  and  magnitude  of  the  Milky  Way,  we  may  conjecture  that 
it  was  thus  originated. 

30.  The  Grinding  of  Fragments  to  Sphericity.— During 
the  first  stage  of  their  accumuhition,  the  fragments  are  as  yet  of 
very  angular  shape.  But  when  two  considerable  accumulations  of 
such  fragments  chance  to  forcibly  collide,  and  the  shock  of  their 
collision  is  distributed  to  the  loosely  arranged  fragments,  such 
fragments  do  then  grind  away  each  other's  projecting  angles,  and 
thus  acquire  an  approximately  spherical  shape. 

31.  Evolution  of  Equal-sized  Atoms.— Whenever  a  few  of 
such  approximately  spherical  fragments  (if  of  nearly  equal  size) 
chance  to  come  together,  they  will  (piickly  arrange  themselves  in  a 
compact  stable  arrangement  (exactly  identical  to  that  which  a 
quantity  of  equal-sized  shot  finally  attain  when  shaken  together  in 
a  \essel),  and  henceforth  they  are  not  so  liable  to  be  separated  by 
the  subsequent  collisions  of  the  accumulation.  Such  a  nucleus 
of  '-primitive  atoms''  will  subsequently  shift  about  as  a  whole, 
and  continually  be  increased  in  the  number  and  perfection  of  its 
atoms.  [The  evolution  of  atoms  depends  upon  the  following  law^: 
As  the  shock  of  the  collision  of  two  accumulations  will 

BE  PRINCIPALLY  DISTRIBUTED  TO  THOSE  PORTIONS  WHERE  THE 
FRAGMENTS  ARE  THE  MOST  UNSPHERICAL  IN  SHAPE,  UNEQUAL  IN 
SIZE,  AND  THEREFORE  MOST  LOOSELY  ARRANGED  :  THEREFORE, 
THE  GRINDING  PROCESS  WILL  BE  EFFECTIVE  PRINCIPALLY  IN  SUCH 
UNSTABLE  PORTIONS;  AND  "' THE  STABLE  PORTIONS  WILL  GRAD- 
UALLY PREDOMINATE."]  The  most  Stable  atomic  arrangements 
will  thus  continually  tend  to  predominate,  and  only  those  arrange- 
ments having  perfect  stability  can  continue  to  exist  in  the  nebula 
as  it  advances  in  condensation. 

32.  Exact  Ratios  of  Atomic  Size. — To  understand  the  origin 
of  "exact  ratios  of  atomic  size,"  we  need  only  consider  those 
special  cases  of  exact  juxtaposition  or  stable  arrangements,  admit- 
ting a  few  atoms  of  one  size  (forming  a  nucleus  having  octahedral 
or  tetrahedral  symmetry)  to  exactly  replace  a  similar-shaped 
nucleus  of  atoms  of  another  size  ;  in  other  words,  a  few  atoms  of 
one  size  (forming  a  symmetrically  shaped  nucleus)  might  exactly 
be  locked  in  phice  by  surrounding  atoms  of  another  size. 

33.  The  Gradual  Predominating  of  Certain  Elements.— 
To  properly  understand  the  cause  of  the  gradual  predominating  of 
a  few  atomic  elements  in  the  nebula,  as  it  advances  in  condensation 
to  become  a  star  cluster,  we  must  observe  that  the  continued  com- 


2 HE  NEW  COSMOLOGY. 


11 


bining  of  the  accumulations  gives  great  similarity  to  the  subsequent 
stars  of  the  star  cluster.  And  we  must  also  observe,  that,  at  a  cer- 
tain stage  of  the  process  of  condensation,  certain  elements  are  rela- 
tively so  abundant  as  to  form  netlike  structures  through  the  mass 
of  every  star  of  the  cluster.  We  must  also  observe  that  such  net- 
like structures  would  have  a  common  symmetrical  formation  ;  and 
in  order  that  two  such  networks  might  exactly  interlock,  their 
respective  atoms  must  needs  have  an  exact  ratio  of  size. 

34.  The  Typical  Form  of  an  Atomic  Network.- An  atomic 
network  of  equal-sized  atoms  is  formed  by  the  symmetrical  joining 
together  of  equal  girders,  or  chains,  of  atoms  ;  the  essential  form  of 
a  chain  of  atoms  being  that  of  four  equal  straight  rows  of  atoms  in 
compact  juxtaposition.  Such  a  chain  of  atoms  would  remain  per- 
fectly straight  (because  of  the  atoms  remaining  in  contact  by  their 
attraction  of  cohesion).  And  the  atoms  of  an  element  will  there- 
fore continually  become  more  perfectly  spherical,  smooth,  and 
equal  in  size,  since  they  will  thereby  lend  more  perfect  stability  to 
the  cohesion  network  which  they  form.  A  complete  joint  of 
such  chains  would  necessarily  have  but  one  form,  which  would  con- 
sist of  twelve  chains  ending  or  joined,  in  exact  symmetrical  juxta- 
position, at  a  common  point.  The  exact  form  of  a  complete 
ATOMIC  network  is  therefore  perfectly  determinate.  The  only 
variable  feature  of  such  a  network  is  the  ''number  of  atom 
diameters"  in  a  unit  chain  of  the  network. 

35.  [When  two  or  more  elements  combine  (by  forming  separate 
networks  exactly  interlocking  with  each  other),  such  separate  net- 
works will  not  of  necessity  be  '^  complete;"  neither  will  they  of 
necessity  be  similar  modifications  of  the  '- complete"  network: 
neither  will  they  of  necessity  have  the  same  number  of  atom 
diameters  in  their  respective  unit  chains.  The  only  essential 
feature  of  combination  is  that  of  'Mntogral  proportion,"  duo  to  the 
simple  molecules  which  are  first  form.ed,  as  the  elements  commence 
to  combine  while  still  in  the  incandescent  state  ;  the  subsequent 
proportion  being  very  approximately  equal  to  that  of  the  unit 
molecule  of  the  incandescent  gas.] 


30.  Planetary  Evolution.— We  will  suppose  that  an  inter 
stellar  nebula  has  so  far  advanced  in  condensation  as  to  be  con- 


12 


THE  NEW  COSMOLOGY. 


sidered  a  star  cluster— such  as  the  Milky  Way.  The  individual  stars 
of  the  chister  are  continually  becoming  fewer,  and  their  average 
distance  apart  is  continually  becoming  greater,  because  they  are 
continually  colliding  and  combining  to  form  larger  stars. 

37.  When  two  stars  forcibly  collide,  they  are  quickly  raised  to 
such  a  great  heat  as  to  convert  them  into  a  single  mass  of  intensely 
heated  gas — in  which  their  atoms  are  separately  flying  about  with 
great  velocity — and  the  two  stars  soon  become  perfectly  mixed. 

38.  As  the  mass  of  gas  cools  (by  its  outward  radiation  of  energy, 
as  light  or  radiant  heat),  it  contracts  in  volume,  increases  in  its  rate 
of  rotation,  and  thence  assumes  the  spheroidal  shape. 

30.  K  point  is  thence  reached,  at  which  the  principal  elements 
combine,  and  there  is  thus  produced,  in  the  rotating  mass  of  gas, 
a  succession  of  *' exceedingly  violent "  contractions  of  its  volume. 
And  since  the  combination  commences  at  the  centre  of  such  rotating 
spheroidal  mass  of  gas,  it  would  therefore  reach  the  surface,  first  at 
the  poles,  and  last  at  the  equator.  But  because  of  the  exceeding 
violence  of  the  successive  contractions  (produced  by  the  successive 
combinations),  the  greater  part  of  the  mass  becomes  successively 
detached  from  successive  rings  of  matter  at  its  extreme  equator. 

40.  Such  detached  rings  of  molten  lava,  being  suddenly  freed 
from  the  centripetal  force  of  ''cohesion''  (which  previously,  in 
addition  to  the  attraction  of  gravity,  helped  to  hold  them  to  the 
central  body),  thence  rapidly  expand  in  a  lateral  direction,  and 
thence  reach  those  respective  distances  (from  the  central  body) 
required  by  their  respective  rates  of  revolution. 

41.  As  such  a  ring  of  molten  lava  (in  laterally  expanding  to  its 
proper  distance  from  the  central  body)  will  cohere  as  a  liquid,  it 
will  therefore  become  very  thin  and  will  soon  separate,  at  some 
point.  Its  ring-like  form  will  then  rapidly  disappear,  because  the 
liquid  coherence  of  the  lava  will  cause  the  broken  ring  to  collect 
toward  that  point  of  its  body  which  is  equidistant  from  its  two 
extremities. 

42.  A  point  is  thence  reached  when  the  ring  of  lava  has  become 
a  rotating  spheroidal  mass,  and  also  revolving  about  the  central  body 
from  which  it  became  detached;  thus  it  becomes  a  ''jdanet/^ 
But,  owing  to  the  great  velocity  with  which  the  mass  collects  (both 
by  cohesion  and  also,  subsequently,  by  the  accumulation  of  gravity), 
the  liquid  lava  is  rapidly  raised  in  temperature  ;  and  if  sufficiently 
intense  to  again  separate  any  of  the  elementary  combinations,  the 
planet  will,  in  cooling,  evolve  satellites.    In  stars  of  sufficient  mass, 


THE  NEW  COSMOLOGY. 


13 


w 


there   might   be   planetary   evolution    to    the    third    and    fourth 
degree. 

43.  We  may  conjecture  that  the  elements  have  about  the  same 
proportionate  abundance  in  the  planets  as  they  have  in  the  central 
body  from  which  they  became  detached. 

44.  Notwithstanding  that  the  planets  have  similar  elementary 
composition,  yet  they  will  differ  in  their  respective  densities,  owing 
to  the  respectively  different  conditions  of  their  cooling,  and  the 
forming  of  such  solid  crusts  as  will  stop  their  further  volumetric 
contraction. 

45.  Active  volcanoes  upon  a  planet  are  conclusive  evidence  of 
its  having  a  vast  interior  mass  of  molten  lava,  contained  by  a  com- 
paratively thin  solid  crust.  And  the  attraction  of  a  satellite,  perpen- 
dicular to  the  planet's  equator,  would  not  cause  the  crust  of  the  planet 
to  bend  thereto,  however  "  flexible  "  such  crust  might  be  ;  because, 
by  so  bending,  the  form  of  the  crust  would  be  made  somewhat  less 
spherical,  and  therefore  of  somewhat  less  volumetric  content,  and, 
owing  to  the  exceeding  incompressibility  of  the  enclosed  liquid  lava, 
its  volume  could  not  be  perceptibly  lessened  by  the  feeble  attraction 
of  the  satellite.  [Therefore,  the  erroneous  objection,  commonly 
given  against  the  theory  of  the  interior  fluidity  of  the  earth — as  it 
is  based  upon  the  rigidity  of  form  held  by  the  earth's  surface, 
notwithstanding  the  moon's  attraction— is  easily  refuted  by  the 
foregoing  statement.] 


40.  The  Phenomena  of  Light.— Let  ns  suppose  two  of  the 
atoms  of  a  gas  to  come  within  the  reach  of  each  other's  cohesive 
attraction.  Then,  as  the  two  atoms  come  together  with  rapidly 
increasing  velocity,  the  medium  becomes  condensed  at  their  point 
of  collision,  and  a  circular  ring  of  condensation  rapidly  expands  in 
the  lateral  direction.  The  small  particles  of  the  medium,  interven- 
ing between  the  two  atoms,  keep  them  from  coming  into  actual 
contact,  and  also  act  as  an  almost  perfectly  elastic  cushion— whereby 
the  two  atoms  are  again  forced  apart  with  almost  the  velocity  of  their 
coming  together.  There  is  thus  produced  a  periodic  succession  of 
collisions,  and  a  corresponding  series  of  equidistant  concentric 
circular  rings  of  condensation— such  rings  as  will  rapidly  expand  in 
a  lateral  direction,  and  constitute  the  phenomena  of 'Might,'' or 
radiant  heat. 


14 


THE  NEW  COSMOlOGY. 


47.  Elementary  Spectra. — As  the  distances  between  the  suc- 
cessive rings  will  be  exactly  proportional  to  the  intervals  elapsing 
between  the  successive  collisions  of  the  two  atoms  ;  and  as  such 
intervals  will  depend  primarily  upon  the  actual  sizes  of  the  two 
atoms  (to  which  sizes  their  actual  forces  of  cohesive  attraction  are 
due);  and  as  in  a  gas  of  considerable  rarity  the  two  atoms  would 
not  be  considerably  interfered  with  (by  the  cohesive  attraction  of 
other  atoms)  while  periodically  colliding — therefore,  in  such  a  gas, 
each  molecule  will  have  its  own  proper  set  of  periodic  atomic 
concussions,  and  will  also,  therefore,  give  its  own  proper  spectrum. 


48.  Practical  Deductions. — It  is  of  jmictical  importance  to 
determine  the  special  atomic  arrangements  formed  by  the  atoms  in 
solidifying  or  crystallizing  ;  for  the  special  properties  of  different 
substances  depend  entirely  upon  the  sizes  and  relative  numbers  of 
their  different  atoms,  and  the  resulting  arrangements  which  they 
necessarily  form  in  such  substances. 

49.  The  atomic  composition  of  crystals,  their  specific  gravities, 
their  angles  of  cleavage,  and  their  exterior  forms  furnish  data  for 
proving  their  theoretically  determined  atomic  structures. 

50.  The  writer  has  thereby  succeeded  in  determining  the  princi- 
pal types  of  atomic  structure  possessed  by  the  elements  in  their 
principal  combinations ;  and  he  has  also  calculated  the  correspond- 
ing ''exact  ratios  "  of  atomic  size  required  by  such  atomic  structures 
(or  exactly  interlocking  atomic  networks  formed  by  the  elements 
in  their  most  stable  combinations)  ;  and  he  has  also  calculated  the 
exact  ratios  of  atomic  size  required  by  those  atomic  arrangements 
wherein  simple  molecules  (of  the  large  atoms  of  certain  rare  ele- 
ments) are  exactly  held  or  locked  in  place  by  the  symmetrical  spaces 
in  the  atomic  networks  of  the  abundant  elements. 

51.  We  thus  have  a  method  for  determining  the  ''probability  " 
of  the  existence  of  a  rare  element  of  any  given  atomic  size,  and 
also  the  ''possibility  "  of  any  two  given  elements  forming  a  stable 
combination:  for.  only  those  rare  elements  can  have  probable 
existence  whose  atoms  may  be  exactly  locked  in  by  the  atomic 
networks  of  the  abundant  elements,  and  only  those  elements  can 
form  stable  combinations  when  the  sizes  of  their  atoms  enable  them 
to  form  exactlv  interlocking  atomic  networks.     If  the  atoms  of  a 


THE  NEW  COSMOLOGY. 


15 


rare  element  are  not  capable  of  being  exactly  locked  in  place  by  the 
atoms  of  the  abundant  elements,  such  rare  atoms  will  then  be  sub- 
ject to  continual  wandering  about  through  the  molten  lava  of  a 
star  ;  and  by  thus  wandering  they  will  be  more  rapidly  worn  down 
in  size— until  they  are  reduced  to  such  size  as  will  enable  them  to 
be  exactly  locked  in  place— and  thenceforth  (until  the  star  is  again 
gasified  by  colliding  with  another  star)  such  rare  atoms  will  retain 
a  constant  size  (relative  to  that  of  the  abundant  elements  by  which 
they  are  exactly  locked  in  place).  The  epoch  of  the  collision  of 
two  stars,  and  their  subsequent  gasification,  liquefaction,  and  solidi- 
fication, is  therefore  an  epoch  of  partial  modification  for  their  atomic 
composition— such  modification  tending  to  reduce  the  number  of 
their  atomic  elements,  and  thereby  increase  the  individual  abundance 
of  such  elements. 


52.  The  writer  has  ascertained  that  crystalline  osmium  has  an 
atomic  arrangement  exactly  identical  to  that  which  is  finally  acquired 
by  a  quantity  of  equal-sized  shot— when  properly  shaken  together 
until  they  form  successive  straight  rows  and  layers,  exactly  parallel 
and  in  contact.  And  by  computing  the  real  density  of  certain 
theoretical  atomic  networks,  and  multiplying  such  densities  by  the 
specific  gravity  of  crystalline  osmium  (allowing  for  its  inter-atomic 
spaces),  he  has  obtained  the  corresponding  theoretical  specific  gravi- 
ties of  such  theoretical  atomic  networks. 

53.  He  has  thus  ascertained  that,  in  quartz,  the  number  of  atom 
diameters  in  a  unit  chain  of  the  oxygen  network  equals  fifteen,  and 
that  of  the  silicon  network,  sixteen  ;  in  alumina,  that  for  oxygen 
equals  sixteen,  and  that  for  aluminium,  fifteen  ;  in  diamond,  that 
for  carbon  equals  fifteen,  the  carbon  forming  two  interlocking  net- 
works.    The  foregoing  data  are  given  for  illustration. 

54.  A  few  of  the  exact  ratios  of  atomic  size  (required  for  octa- 
hedral and  tetrahedral  molecules  of  the  rare  elements  held  in  place 
by  the  atoms  of  abundant  elements)  are  as  follows  : 

For  octahedral  molecules  of  six  large  atoms:  3.53107  and  1.- 
99249.  For  tetrahedral  molecules  of  four  large  atoms  :  3.4560  and 
1.8055.  For  an  isolated  atom  (exactly  held  in  place  by  surrounding 
smaller  atoms),  we  have  the  size  ratios,  10.1096,  3.0454,  9.0276, 
2.4343,  and  14.9615.     The  great  extent  to  which  the  elements  have 


16 


THE  NEW  COSMOLOGY, 


been  primarily  determined  by  the  foregoing  ratios  (resulting  from 
special  atomic  symmetrical  arrangements)  will  appear  evident  from 
their  extensive  occurrence  in  the  list  of  atomic  weights.  Thus,  for 
the  ratio  1.99249,  we  have  the  following  instances  :  Li  7.01,  N  14.01, 
Si  28.34,  Fe  55.9,  Cd  U1.8  ;  0  15.96,  S  31.98  ;  Ca  39.9,  Br  79.75. 


55.  As  the  chemical  application  of  the  theory  cannot  be  properly 
illustrated  except  by  geometrical  figures,  and  as  the  writer  has  not 
been  financially  enabled  to  have  his  charts  lithographed,  he  there- 
fore must  defer  some  of  the  statements,  of  practical  application  to 
chemigtrv,  until  he  obtains  such  assistuuce. 


^  1  " 


•  • 


COLUMBIA  .UNiyERSIY^UBRARlES 


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